The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-20

CIV, HaVe been safe and warm at home. Du' ~
thro.'e II except the evening star, whc,
them. 10 iiNo " oAi9 Nv
oi zen an the tears were she'd and both were .oo
',u tlred to cry any more Arty took heaf anu
- " carry mis- sister on his back toward an oPo
rnt hlch he fondy hoped was the pain a e"u
t 10 deep hollow chilled his courage, anu W.
5%,-ussI'lg on q little longer he gave up ana s"'
Town ,',i again in despair
- III so sleepy Lets say Now / lay me- anu 20
~ oyiow' said Min, with sob and cape, as her
@ leii on Artys shoulder top-heavy with wear
- 80 ior II waslong past her bedtime,
Nonie under this tree, where there isnt ais
~, ana we IL cuddle down and try TO De W"ln'
s,l Ia' her comes to find us, I'll take care otyou'
"eer' amt afraid of the dark-much."
1As ne spoke, Arty drew the poor little girl ui'uer
t,!e incorporating boughs of q hemlocE ana pun.
ing MS arms about her, tried not to tremble ana
'..' at every sound or to stare into the gloom WIN
WIDE eyes full of fear Min was asleep in moment,
una after few more pentent tears, Arty dropEea
So JUST as he had resolved to watch all night %
tere they lay, asleep in the wood, where the pt'e.
coia would soon freeze them if no one came 10 nnu
ana save them. But the old tree sheltered them
Weil' The kind star watched over them, ana the
niue owl skinned softly away to bring friend OF
Wnom they never thought.
Mrs. Baker kept Bess some time, asking about all
the news of the village, and when she went filled
her basket with cookies, and gave her little can OF
mix for her grandmother.
Il IN afraid I've kept you too long, dear, 1t grows
dark so sudden nowadays. Do take my lan'ern SO
you won't slip and spill the milk. Put the can in
the basket then it viii ride stddy, and you'll have
hand free for the lantern said the old lady, peer
ing out into the dusk
Bess did not want tho light, MS she was used to
running over the SNOW but to oblige Mrs. Baker she
accepted it, ana set out for home. Just as she lett
the gate q little dark object on the white road
caught her eye further up the hill and she went to
see what it was thinking might be the full purse
poor little girls were always finding in the stories
she read.
No, it was only little red mtten but Bess looked
troubled as she turned it over 70 on the back was
white NJ, and she knew it was one of the pair
grandma had knit for little Minnie.
81 do believe those naughty babies really did so
after tree. l thought they were only playing.
What fright their folks will be in at home If they
did run away! Yes, here is the mark ola sled. I'll
run up the hll and sec if they did go this way"
or went Hess, and soon another little mtten told
her she was on the track of the runaways for Min
had been so busy holding on she lost her mittens
without knowing 1t. The marks ofrunners and two
small pairs of feet were plainly seen in the snow
where the children turned into the woods and Bess
followed the TRAIL calling she went that the
little things could not have gone far.
Now she was glad Of the lantern, for by its light
she could see where the wanderers went, and
presently the abandoned sled made her more
anxious than ever, for it was evident the children
had gone toward pond near by
Bess was out of breath, cold and frightened, but
she pressed on thinking only of the lost babies and
their poor mother for she knew that If the children
out long on such bitter night 1t might cost
them their lives.
Soon the little steps tIITI1d II suffer 6tTtJtiUTI,
and Bess was glad that she hadno got to look for
them in that dreadful pond that she cheered up,
and ram and looked, and called, till faint ar-of
cry made her heart beat fast she hurried toward
tIo A sad wa nd
came to her eyes while she paused to listen from
time to time thinking of the dear babies calling for
Eelp alone in the great wood.
"Im coming Arty; here's Bess, don't cry, little
Min," she shouted, scrambling over logs and
through the bushes as the wall grew louder and
louder till she came 70 an open spot, and found
nothing but small owl perched bare tree
blinking ut her light.
Much disappointed and quite exhausted, she sat
down TO rest putting the lantern the ground be-
| side her. Then the good light did its part for it
| shone under the hemlock boughs on little black
heap, out of which stuck four small rubber boots
plainly against the snow. Bess saw them, gave
cry of joy, and ran to wake the children with
kisses she Rugged and patted them in her de-
light. Arty opened his eyes and shyered, but Min
lay as cold and still If she mad been little marble
statue.
"She is frozen; she is dead. What shall do?--ob
| what shall 2" cried Bess in despair, when she
had rubbed the purple hands and white cheeks, and
lifted the StlH eye0S, ana called the child every
| tender name she could think Of
Arty seemed too sleepy TO speak or understand,
and poor Bess could only clasp her hands and look
about for help, quite heart-broken at the dreadful
| fear she felt that she had come too late.
| As her eyes glanced from the POOR baby to the
clear cold sky asking God to show her what to do
the beautiful star shone on her like friendly eye
| and made her think of the that led the shep-
herds TO the manger where the ChrstChild lay that
| Christmas Eve so long ago.
1t comforted her somehow, and gave her new
| strength and hope Catching up Min she went Us
fast as she could toward soft light which suddenly
| began to glimmer not far Off She thought il was
| the rising moon, but in a moment saw that 1t was
| the flame of fire left by the lumbermen They had
| covered it, but the wind had famed the embers
and one bright flame blazed up to show Bess where
| lay the help she SO much needed
AS fast her tired feet could go she hurried IN the
| warm spot and laying Min on the heinloek bClghs
where the men sat TO eat their dinners she raked
open the fire. threw on some dry crisp, and cover
| ing the child with her own cloak ran back 10
bring Arty and the basket and the lantern Up
srrang fine fire, and the blessed warmth began to
be felt as the haffrozen children lay in the full
light Of the blaze, while Bess sat the can on the
Goals, heated the milk, and made Arty drink some
He was soon awake and when cookie was put
into his hand began to eat like hungry boy and TO
remember what had happened. He told Bess all
about 1t, while she held Min in her arms, rubbing
her till the warmth returned TO feet and hands and
feeding her with little sips of hot milk till she
sighed More--nice-more," and lifted her drowsy
little head to find the mouth of the can for herself
Many kisses, cookies aud chips restored the near
ly frozen children to life and then the question was
how to get them home Arty said he could walk,
but found his legs 80 weak and stiff that Bess was
afraid to let him try. She could not carry Min so
far the sled useless and the nearest house was
long way of. So the wise child decided 10 leave
them where they were safe by the warm ERE, while
she ran for help.
Explaining this to the boy, she told him to watch
Min-who had fallen asleep again with cake IN her
hand-to throw on chips, drink the milk, and not
be afraid till she back. He promised stOuty;
but before she had piled up the wood made the fire
SAFE and hung the lantern on tree TO mark the
place, he had fallen back On the hemock boughs
worn out, and as fast asleep as his little sister.
perhaps It Ia just as well. He won't take iknto
his head to after and get lost again. won't
be long, and they can't freeze now" said Bess ms
she tucked them up under her cloak with their feet
to the FIRE, and laid boughs over them TO keep the
small coyerlet from blowing away.
Then feeling that she had done her best, she ran
away TO tell the anxious parents that the los babies
were safe. The moon was up now, and az Bess
trudged through the wood its big bright face
cheerei her up, showed her the way, and seemed 10